Sacrifice

As soon as they were a safe distance from the house, Tzeitel turned to Nine and checked him over for injuries. “Are you hurt?” She fretted.

Piritta may have held Colt a bit tighter than was necessary, getting a good feel for his back muscles. “Toivottavasti tuo yksisarvinen voi tappaa sen kusipään. Mitä paskaa, teki paikan todella sekaisin.” She grumbled.

Riley tumbled onto the ground before standing back up and looking at the house in worry. All that ran through his were memories of his loved ones dying while he lived over and over again.

Klaire watched in silence with James and the others, ears falling back as she took in the flashes and the sounds of chaos. It would soon be followed by an ominous silence and the dome around the house would dissipate, the house itself soon crumbling down to the ground. Smoke and dust were rising up, creating a sort of fog around it that no one could see through.

Nine blinked and glanced to Tzeitel. “I’m fine. You?” He asked just before the collapse, his attention turning back to it in time to witness a dark shape suddenly shoot into the sky.

“Putrid…light…” A deep and pained voice echoed all around before the shape in the sky vanished.

“Umbral…?” Kimber whispered, all concerns for her home in the back of her mind. She hated to see it gone, hated to know her sanctuary was destroyed - those poor plants she’d cared for! - but right now, she had to know what was happening to Umbral.

As the smoke and dust started to dissipate, they would find Umbral in the center of it all. Only, she wasn’t Umbral. She had become a solid crystal from using all her light and was locked in a fighting stance…

Riley knelt down by the statue, his face emotionless as he stared at her form. He didn't even notice the tears falling down his face.

Amit placed a hand on Kimber's shoulder in support.

Piritta squirmed loose from Colt, letting out a curse in Finnish as she bounded over to Riley. She looked at Umbral, the unicorn girl looked like something from Greek mythology. She patted Riley's back.

“I'm fine.”’Tzeitel looked hard at Nine before she was satisfied that he was not injured. Being separated from Ami her fussing would be focused on Nine until she was reunited with her little sister. She turned her attention to the crystalized Umbral, and then the sky and surrounding forest. It appeared that Umbral had given her life to repel the monster - but would he come back? What about the other Them? “We should go.”

Riley didn't respond, only continuing to look at Umbral.

Kimber looked toward Amit, tears spilling down her face. Sniffling, she made herself force her emotions back for now, but could not stop the tears. “We…we should go to the city…” She tried to say, but her words were barely a whisper.

Colt walked over next to Piritta and stared up at Umbral, his heart silently breaking for this Riley. He hadn’t been a fool. He’d seen the emotions between the two…

That was when the sun began to rise and they would hear rustling.

Grabbing up her rifle, Klaire aimed toward the forest, but would quickly lower it and call over. “Tzeitel!” She yelled and pointed with a hand.

Jedidiah would walk out with both Ami and Snow in his arms. Jennifer would be walking up behind him and gazed toward the group in silence. She chose to stay within the shadows of the forest where other They hid and chirped with concern.

“We’re too late…” Snow hated what she was seeing.

Tzeitel bounded over to snatch Ami from Jebidiah’s arms. Her large eyes were even wider than usual as she checked Ami over for any injuries. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.” Ami said, hugging Tzeitel. Tzeitel felt too hard, all bone and muscle. She wished her sister would eat. She looked at the rubble and Umbral. “What happened here?”

Piritta continued patting Riley’s back as she slipped a berry into his pocket.

Amit pulled Kimber into a comforting hug “yeah let's go check the van.”

Kimber went with Amit to go check on the van while everyone else collected themselves.

Seth kneeled by Riley placing a hand on his shoulder. “Dad” he spoke in a low nervous voice “come on Dad we gotta go.”

Riley didn't respond.